short-article
Self Love Is Revolutionary
Discover how caring for yourself radically transforms your relationship with life's everyday miracles.
I have to admit to finding suggestions that I learn to love myself rather irritating. But there is something in the concept of self love that I welcome, and that's the revolutionary nature of it.
To me, self love is allowing myself to do the things in life that make me glad to be alive. And at a deeper level, doing the things (or not doing the things) that make me feel alive. Those ways of spending my time that infuse me with life, that fill me with gratitude and a sense of quiet wonder and wellbeing.
When I allow myself to do these things, I experience myself and life in a different way, one which has love and not fear at its foundation.
To my surprise I've discovered the things that make me feel this way are not the big plans, expensive trips and remarkable achievements. Instead they are the ordinary, everyday things that remind me of the extraordinary miracle of being alive. Think about it for a moment - you're alive! That is just flipping extraordinary.
How is self love revolutionary? Well, it requires you to find out what works for you in life, and give yourself permission to do what works for you. It doesn't always fit in with other people's ideas, it can mean breaking with mainstream culture, and may mean stepping away from aspects of your family culture and conditioning.
You can't pick up a book or watch a video to reassure yourself that you've found the solution (although that can be helpful at times). You can only know through your direct experience. You will recognise that you are the expert of your life, nobody knows how to live your life except you. To me, that is radical. And acting on that is revolutionary.
I encourage you to keep finding what works for you and choosing it. Keep building a foundation of love in your life by making loving choices for yourself. Looking after your beautiful body is a tangible way of doing this and sets a foundation of love in your life.
Practice being kind, accepting and compassionate to yourself. Practice giving yourself time for those things that bring you joy, peace and effortless gratitude. We do it for ourselves, and then we discover everyone benefits.
Do not try to serve the whole world or do anything grandiose. Instead, create a clearing in the dense forest of your life and wait there patiently, until the song that is yours alone to sing falls into your open cupped hands and you recognise and greet it. Only then will you know how to give yourself to the world so worthy of rescue. ~ Martha Postlethwaite